Pico House

The picture, taken by Ava Bégué de Packman in 1875, presents Pico House in all its grandeur as the standout monument of the Los Angeles Plaza. Clearly depicted is the Romanesque style of the hotel, noticeably seen in the deep-set rounded arched windows and doors. Although the photograph is in black and white, the prominence of the magnificent hotel is asserted as one can see crowds of well-dressed men and women gathered outside, and ornate horse-drawn carriages pulling up to the curb. Pico House was created from the great efforts of Don Pío Pico in 1869.

Pío de Jesús Pico was born in San Gabriel on May 5, 1801, to his Mexican immigrant parents José María Pico and María Eustaquia Gutiérrez. He was the fourth of ten children and was of Spanish, African and Native American descent, foreshadowing the incredibly diverse landscape of the future Los Angeles. Pío’s grandfather, Santiago de la Cruz Pico, was one of the soldiers on the expedition which left Tubac, Arizona, for California in 1775 to explore and colonize the region.

At just eighteen years old, Pico moved to San Diego after his father’s death. It was there that he embarked on his entrepreneurial ventures, funded by gambling and menial jobs, and acquired his first land grant. Alongside his business endeavors, Pico became increasingly politically active. Between 1826 and 1832, he was a court clerk, senior vocal of assembly, and finally governor of Alta California. Pico thus relocated to Los Angeles, where he spent the majority of his adult life. Fundamental to Pico’s second governorship, from 1845 to 1846, he moved the provincial capital to Los Angeles, which transformed a once remote Pueblo into a major world metropolis. A second key event of his administration was the finalization of the secularization of the California missions.

Throughout much of the nineteenth century he remained one of the leading citizens of Southern California as a successful businessman. He prospered off of the reclamation of land which he had previously acquired, making him one of the richest men in Alta California by the 1850s. In 1869, Don Pío saw a profit to be made from the continuous trickle of Americans into Los Angeles, and he intuitively acted. He sold his land in the San Fernando Valley to finance the construction and furnishing of the Pico House.

The Pico House was built in 1869 across from the Old Church, Our Lady Queen of the Angels, at the corner of Main Street and the Plaza, in Los Angeles. There was much controversy and concern over the building that would rise on the site of the old Carrillo home which was the most distinguished residence in town and home to Don José Carrillo during the time that California entered the Union in 1850. Don José’s generous hospitality distinguished his residence for years. Consequently, many Angelenos were outraged over Pico’s decision to build over the Old Carrillo site. Shortly thereafter, citizens grew to love the lavish Pico House that was finally completed at a cost of $85,000 and rapidly became the gathering place of the elite of Los Angeles.

The hotel had not been in operation long when trouble arose between the owner, Pio Pico, and his manager, Cuyas. After a lawsuit in 1872, Cuyas was ordered to return possession of the building and pay the rent amount due, $570 per month, plus court charges. After this legal complication, the hotel was leased to Charles Knowlton. When Knowlton’s lease expired in April, 1875, Pio Pico couldn’t find a manager for his hotel. Therefore, after another court settlement with Mr. Cuyas, he became manager once again. In July, 1880 Pio Pico experienced grave financial difficulties, like other Southern Californians during this time. Consequently, he was unable to pay the interest and principal of the mortgage on Pico House which caused the hotel to be sold at public auction in San Francisco to the Savings and Loan Society for $16,000. After 1880, the hotel was in hands of various owners and in 1892 its name was changes to National Hotel. Five years later, G. Pagliano and G. Borniatico bought the property and restored its original name, Pico House.

Pico House Hotel offered accommodations for travelers from near and far. As a result of the advancement of the railroads, the Pico House became the ideal hotel and was a success for Pio Pico, becoming one of the most famous and lavish hotels in Southern California. The Pico House was able to bring ranchero influence back to the Plaza thus stimulating its local economy and pointing the way to the tourist attraction it is today.

As Los Angeles is notorious for tearing down its heritage buildings, one wouldn’t think Pico House would survive, but the once luxury hotel of 1800s stands strong. Today, the interior of the building is mostly used for museum viewings, art exhibitions and the occasional haunted house tour. The ghost tours have appeared on the TV series Ghost Adventures. As a result of the vicious riot in 1871, the historical residence is said to be home to the lingering spirits of the 19 Chinese men killed. In complete contrast, the courtyard area is often described by visitors as one of the strongest assets of Pico House. Currently the courtyard area is mostly a fashionable space for wedding receptions; as the open air roof on the interior, the inner carriage house and the exposed brick walls mould together to paint the perfect quaint wedding. The overwhelming history and significance of Pico House has left the once deluxe hotel in impeccable condition, allowing individuals visiting the downtown area to become connected to the ‘old’ Los Angeles. Pico House currently serves as a landmark and historical building that is part of the larger Los Angeles Plaza Historical District. The rich history that pours from the white walls of Pico House and its surroundings on Olvera Street proves and will continue to be a popular attraction for all visitors.

Pico House. Ana Bégué de Packman, 1875. Image courtesy of UCLA Special Collections

Works cited

1. Houghton, Frank B. History of the Old Plaza Church and Olvera Street. Los Angeles: n.p., n.d. Print.

Cite this article

Noemi C., Guadalupe F., Lucy J., Sydney B.. "Pico House." Los Angeles: The City and the Library. Colleen Jauretche, Editor. Fall 2015. /article/2015-09-01-picohouse